Club History

After World War Two, returning members of Taff (1879) and Cardiff (1884) Rowing Clubs found their boathouses burnt-out, or collapsed through wood rot, and their boats and memorabilia missing.

Members joined forces to form Llandaff Rowing Club, rebuilding the old Taff Clubhouse and using the Cardiff Boathouse for temporary storage. At first, progress was difficult because of problems in obtaining building materials in the post-war period and the absence of boats and the silt, which had filled the river in places. As luck would have it, the Clubs’ own boats, which had been washed up on the estuary mud flats had been rescued by residents of the lower part of Cardiff and protected under tarpaulins. After restoration work, rowing restarted at the end of 1946 and the first regatta was held in 1947.

In the 1950’s Llandaff Rowing Club blossomed and became a force on the regatta circuit. The Welsh National Rowing Club was formed in 1958 to represent Wales at the Empire Games, at which many of Llandaff’s senior members officiated.

With development, club membership grew dramatically, and so in 1996, the club building was refurbished and extended to the size it is today. On 3rd November 1996, Sir Steven Redgrave, OBE and Matthew Pinsent, MBE. Officially opened the new clubhouse. Two years later on 8th March 1998, the Club’s new land training facility was officially opened by Rhodri Morgan, MP. The facility was supported by local business as well as members of the Llandaff Rowing Club Social Committee.

Today, Llandaff Rowing Club is a major force in Welsh rowing and further afield. Our success continues at all levels with our crews and scullers winning medals and tankards at local, national and international events year after year.